Container



May 19, 1964 J" 0000060000 000'60000o0ouu-00 H. G. ROBERTS CONTAINERFiled April 17. 1961 NIAWIAWIA Liwmvmm a /MINI N INVENTOR. 14/129 Y 62055275 United States Patent 1 3,133,660 CONTAINER iardy G. Roberts,1583? Via Cordoba, San Lorenzo, Calif.

Filed Apr. 17, 1961, Ser. No. 103,290 3 Claims. (Cl. 220-19) Thisinvention relates in general to a container and its manner of use.

It is an object of this invention to provide a container adapted for usein Warehouses. 7

It is a further object of this invention to provide a containerespecially suitable for use with a conveyor consisting of a plurality ofspacedrollers, said container being capable of receiving articlescarried by the rollers without any necessity for lifting the articlesfrom the rollers.

Another object of this invention isito provide a method for using theaforementioned container so as to facilitate the loading andtransportation of articles.

Other objects and advantages of this invention, if not set forth, willbecome apparent during the course of the description as. follows.

Generally, this invention comprises a container suitable for use inreceiving objects supported by a plurality of rollers, sm'd containerhaving opposed sides, at least one end and a bottom, the bottomconsisting solely of narrow transverse members which are preferably ofheavy wire.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 shows, in perspective, a preferred embodiment of thisinvention.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of a slightly modified embodiment of thisinvention.

FIGURES 3-5 are sequential diagrammatic representations of the method ofusing the container of this invention in conjunction with power rollers.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like characters refer to likeparts throughout, there is shown in FIG- URE 1 a preferred embodiment ofthe invention including a plurality of laterally spaced, U-shaped wires10, each wire consisting of an upstanding leg 12 at either end ofhorizontal transverse base 14. The wires 10 are mainta ned in a spacedrelationship by rneans of vertically spaced longitudinal wires or straps16 which are preferably mounted internally of the legs 12 of theU-shaped members 10. As seen in FIGURE 1, the basket has one open endand one closed end, the latter consisting of horizontal and verticalmembers 18 and 20. Secured to either side near the uppermost edge of thebasket is a support 22 by which the basket may be suspended, thissupport 22 preferably being positioned relatively near the mouth or openend of the basket so that when sus pended therefrom, thebasket will becaused to tilt with its open end uppermost.

A slightly modified form is shown in FIGURE 2 wherein there is seen astructure consisting of similar wire or strap elements 1%, 16, 18 and24), the bases 14 of the U-shaped members It) being of continuallydecreasing length as the closed end is approached whereby to provide atapered basket, several of which may be nested together. In thisparticular embodiment, the basket is supported by the four wires 24which converge and have secured thereto a suitable loop 26 from whichthe basket may be suspended.

The manner of use of the basket is seen in diagrammatic FIGURES 3, 4 andwherein there is shown a track 30 for an over-head traveling crane 32from which the basket is suspended. An article 34 to be loaded is placedon power rollers 36 and the crane advanced to a point wherein thelowermost elements 16 of the basket rest upon the rollers with thetransverse bottom elements 14 fitting between individual rollers andbeneath the uppermost'surface thereof. The rollers turn as indicated andthe article 34 is advanced into theopen mouth of the basket followingwhich time the over-head crane continues to advance in its U-shapedtrack to lift the article from the surface of the rollers, as shown inFIGURE 5. If desired, the article 34 may be loaded onto a truck orelsewhere by reversing the operation described.

It is also possible to modify the basket somewhat and neverthelessachieve a structure which is capable of functioning as described. Forexample, the open end is not absolutely essential and a suitable pivotedgate or gates may be provided which may be secured shut temporarily soas to assure that the article 34 is not discharged prematurely. Also,the sides of the basket need not be a grid-work of wires, as shown, butmay be solid panels, While the same-may be true of the closed end.Finally, and most important, the basket may be sufficiently wide thatthe rollers fit entirely within the space defined by opposed uprightlegs 12 or, in the alternative, the rollers may be of a steppedstructure with the lower portions thereof at either end, in which caseopposed lowermost longitudinal elements 16 may be dropped to the levelof transverse bottom elements 14 elements 16 would rest upon thelesser-'diametered portions of the rollers when the point shown inFIGURE 4 is reached. However, it is still essential that no longitudinalribs be provided linking each of the base elements 14, since this wouldprevent them from coming to rest beneath the upper surfaces of therollers.

It is desirable that longitudinal side members 16 be positioned withinU-shaped members 16* since otherwise i a package entering or leaving thebasket might be impeded by one of the legs 12.

Also, it is obvious that a basket having no support 22 may be manuallyplaced upon a set of rollers, whether operated by power or otherwise,and an article advanced into the basket with certain of the advantagesof this invention being obtained. It is the provision of means fordropping the bottom of the container below the surfaces of the rollerssupporting the articles being loaded which constitutes the mostessential inventive feature hereof.

' Finally, it is apparent that the method of this invention (involvingplacing a basket upon rollers so that the basket bottom drops beneaththe uppermost surfaces of the rollers whereby the article or articles tobe loaded can be advanced into the basket through the open end thereof)may be practiced with conveyor rollers which are not continuous for theentire width of the conveyor structure, but, rather, are no wider thanroller skate wheels. Such conveyors are in common use, a plurality ofsuch wheels being spaced from one another on each axis running the widthof the conveyor. With such a conveyor structure, it is possible to use abasket which has both spaced cross-ribs and spaced longitudinal ribs onthe bottom thereof, the longitudinal ribs fitting between the narrowrollers. The top-most surfaces of the individual narrow rollers willstill be positioned well above the grid work of the basket bottom whenthe basket is lowered into place and, hence, the basket grid Work willnot interfere with the articles being moved on the rollers. Thus, it ispossible to practice the method of this invention using two alternativestructural interrelationships of basket and rollers.

Obviously, many modifications and variations may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of this invention, and thereforeonly such limitations should be imposed as are indicated in the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. A warehousing container suitable for use in receiving objectssupported by a plurality of rollers, said container having two uprightsides, an integral closed end,

an open end, and a bottom, said sides and said bottom being integral andbeing solely of a plurality of spaced U-shaped members, each spaced fromone another a distance sufiicient to permit rollers to pass between thesaid U-shaped members and project into the said basket to contactarticles therein, each of the said sides being provided with verticallyspaced, longitudinal bracing members, the lowermost of each of the saidlongitudinal members of each of the said sides being vertically spacedfrom the bases of the said U-shaped members, said longitudinal membersbeing secured to the arms of the said U-shaped members, the spacebetween adjacent arms from the points of attachment thereof to the saidlowermost longitudinal bracing members to the bases of the said U-shapedmembers being unobstructed, the base of each of the said U-shapedmembers being of decreasing length relative to the length of the base ofthe said U-shaped member immediately preceding, the U-shaped memberhaving the shortest base being immediately adjacent the said integralclosed end of the said basket, whereby to permit a plurality of the saidbaskets to be nested, the bases of each of said U-shaped transversemembers lying entirely in a single plane.

2. A warehousing basket suitable for use in receiving objects supportedby a plurality of rollers, said basket having one closed end, one openend, two sides and a bottom integral with the two sides, the bottom andclosed end being formed of a grid work of vertical wires and horizontalbraces therefor, said bottom being formed solely of a plurality oflaterally spaced, U-shaped members, each having a horizontal baseportion and two vertical legs, said members bridging the distancebetween each of the sides of the said basket, the spaced between thesaid U-shaped members being unobstructed and sufficiently wide to permitrollers to pass between the said members and project into the basket tocontact articles in the said basket, longitudinal bracing memberssecured to the inner surfaces of the upright arms of the said U-shapedmembers, the base portions of the said U- shaped members being the soleelements constituting the bottom of the said basket, the longitudinalbracing members secured to said upright arms of the said U-shapedmembers being spaced vertically from the base portions of the saidU-shaped members a distance suflicient to permit said rollers to extendinto the said basket and to contact articles therein when the saidrollers rest against the said longitudinal bracing members, the spacebetween the base portions of the said U-shaped members and saidlongitudinal braces being unobstructed except for said legs of saidU-shaped members.

3. A warehousing basket suitable for use in receiving objects supportedby a plurality of rollers, said basket having one closed end, one openend, two sides and a bottom integral with the said sides, said bottombeing formed solely of a plurality of laterally spaced, U-shaped memberseach having a horizontal base portion and two vertical legs, saidmembers bridging the distance between each of the sides of the saidbasket, the space between the said U-shaped members being unobstructedand sulficiently wide to permit rollers to pass between the said membersand project into the basket to contact articles in the said basket,longitudinal bracing members secured to the inner surfaces of theupright arms of the said U-shaped members, the base portions of the saidU- shaped members being the sole elements constituting the bottom of thesaid basket, the longitudinal bracing members secured to said uprightarms of the said U-shaped members being spaced vertically from the baseportions of the said U-shaped member a distance sufiicient to permitsaid rollers to extend into the said basket and to contact articlestherein when the said rollers rest against the said longitudinal bracingmembers, the space between the base portions of said U-shaped membersand said longitudinal bracesbeing unobstructed except for said legs ofsaid U-shaped members.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,662,661 Goldman Dec. 15, 1953 2,710,105 Schwartz June 7, 19552,839,989 Persinger June 24, 1958 2,846,941 Goodwin Aug. 12, 19582,925,206 Hancock Feb. 16, 1960

1. A WAREHOUSING CONTAINER SUITABLE FOR USE IN RECEIVING OBJECTSSUPPORTED BY A PLURALITY OF ROLLERS, SAID CONTAINER HAVING TWO UPRIGHTSIDES, AN INTEGRAL CLOSED END, AN OPEN END, AND A BOTTOM, SAID SIDES ANDSAID BOTTOM BEING INTEGRAL AND BEING SOLELY OF A PLURALITY OF SPACEDU-SHAPED MEMBERS, EACH SPACED FROM ONE ANOTHER A DISTANCE SUFFICIENT TOPERMIT ROLLERS TO PASS BETWEEN THE SAID U-SHAPED MEMBERS AND PROJECTINTO THE SAID BASKET TO CONTACT ARTICLES THEREIN, EACH OF THE SAID SIDESBEING PROVIDED WITH VERTICALLY SPACED, LONGITUDINAL BRACING MEMBERS, THELOWERMOST OF EACH OF THE SAID LONGITUDINAL MEMBERS OF EACH OF THE SAIDSIDES BEING VERTICALLY SPACED FROM THE BASES OF THE U-SHAPED MEMBERS,SAID LONGITUDINAL MEMBERS BEING SECURED TO THE ARMS OF THE SAID U-SHAPEDMEMBERS, THE SPACE BETWEEN ADJACENT ARMS FROM THE POINTS OF ATTACHMENTTHEREOF TO THE SAID LOWERMOST LONGITUDINAL BRACING MEMBERS TO THE BASESOF THE SAID U-SHAPED MEMBERS BEING UNOBSTRUCTED, THE BASE OF EACH OF THESAID U-SHAPED MEMBERS BEING OF DECREASING LENGTH RELATIVE TO THE LENGTHOF THE BASE OF THE SAID U-SHAPED MEMBER IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING, THEU-SHAPED MEMBER HAVING THE SHORTEST BASE BEING IMMEDIATELY ADJACENT THESAID INTEGRAL CLOSED END OF THE SAID BASKET, WHEREBY TO PERMIT APLURALITY OF THE SAID BASKETS TO BE NESTED, THE BASES OF EACH OF SAIDU-SHAPED TRANSVERSE MEMBERS LYING ENTIRELY IN A SINGLE PLANE.